Reminiscense
by Durbe the Barian
Summary: Life has never been better for the twins. But when a storm brings a winged horse and a strange card to Durbe's lap, what future will await him and his sister? Sequel to Siblings Long Forgotten.


**Zexal Oneshot**

**Reminiscence **

**Family**

**Durbe/Cathy K.**

**Life has never been better for the twins. But when a storm brings a winged horse and a strange card to Durbe's lap, what future will await him and his sister? Sequel to **_**Siblings Long Forgotten.**_

**(Don't own Zexal. You'd probably know what would be happening right now if I did, so long as you've read Shark's Revival.) **

* * *

**D.T.B: So I was rereading Siblings Long Forgotten and its reviews. Raven Tsurara had requested a sequel and I got to thinking, "You know, I'll give it a try." Result is as follows. Please enjoy. XD **

* * *

Reminiscence

* * *

Thunder.

Lightning.

Heavy winds blowing through the trees.

The sound of a horse neighing in the distance.

Durbe was just barely able to hear it all. He was able to hear it, and he hated it. His dreams had become nightmares, thoughts for sleep becoming a dream. He was curled up into a ball, sweat pouring down his brow. His breathing had become heavy and raspy.

The thunder clapped again.

Durbe curled further into himself as the door to his bedroom swung open. The light from a flickering candle seeped into his room. "Durbe-niisan," a squeaky voice called out.

Durbe could feel somebody's cold hands touch his shoulders and give him a fierce shake. "Durbe-niisan! Durbe-niisan! Wake up!"

The image of a great horse flashed through his mind, and for a moment, it appeared to he looking into his mind.

Or his heart.

Instantly, Durbe's eyes shot open and he thrust himself upward. His grey orbs were wide with total terror and his entire body was trembling.

"Durbe?" a deep voice asked.

Durbe turned his head and looked to his bedside. His sister, Cathy, and their foster father, Mach, were staring at him with worry in their eyes. "Are you okay, Durbe-niisan?" Cathy asked, placing her hand on his shaking arm.

Durbe didn't speak a word in reply.

"Durbe?" Mach asked slowly, walking over to him and placing a hand on his back.

Durbe's eyes began to grow heavy and his entire world was going grey. He began to sway slightly and slowly fell to the side. Fortunately, Mach took him in his well-toned arms and lifted him up. Then he narrowed his eyes.

The boy's breathing was beginning to worsen yet again. His face was flushed from fever, and his entire body was dripping in sweat.

He still hadn't gotten over his illness, something he had contracted almost six months before.

"Durbe-niisan," Cathy squeaked, reaching up to touch his arm.

"Cathy," Mach said.

"H-Hai?"

"I'm going to put Durbe in my room. I need you to go get the doctor."

"Right."

Then Cathy shot out of the room and down the hall. Mach followed shortly after, but went in the opposite direction. His eyes were focused on the sickly grey-haired boy in his arms. Durbe wasn't dreaming anything at the moment. Rather, he was trapped in the depths of unconsciousness, giving his face an almost peaceful expression.

Mach didn't know why, but he hated that expression. Despite the fact that Durbe rarely looked that peaceful, he hated it. He much preferred the life on Durbe's face when he was working than the expression he was wearing then.

Maybe it was because it had come from an illness and not from actual peace.

* * *

Cathy held her brother's limp hand in between her own. The doctor had come and gone. He had told them that Durbe's fever was nothing serious. And that all Durbe needed was a good night's sleep and he'd be fine.

Durbe had woken up once or twice, but anything he said was hardly comprehensible. His words had been slurred and his strength was fleeting. The only thing he was successful in doing was raising his hand up for his sibling to take. When sick with anything, the twins always felt more comfortable when one knew the other was there.

Mach remained silent for a moment as the thunder and lightning outside began to die down. "Why don't you go get some sleep, Cathy?" he suggested.

"Just a little longer, please?" Cathy asked. "I'm not sleepy."

Mach let out a small chuckle. It was only recently that Cathy came down with a light cold and Durbe had forced himself out of bed the whole day and stayed by her side until she got better. Those twins were about as inseparable as the earth and water.

"Very well," he relented. "But be sure to get some sleep soon."

Cathy nodded. Then she gently tightened her grip on her brother's hand. It wasn't long before she eventually fell asleep beside him. And while he dreamt of strange steeds flying through the air, she dreamt of rainbow colored kittens and cotton candy clouds. (Thanks, Hiyono! .)

* * *

The sound of a horse neighing woke Durbe the following morning. "What's going on?" he groaned, forcing himself out of bed and racing his hand through his hair.

Another neigh. However, this time, it sent a wave of emotion through his being. In his ears, it wasn't a neigh.

It was a cry for help.

He jerked his head to the side and looked through the window. Though brief, he was able to get an image of a heavy white mane brushing past the pane of glass. His eyes widened as he threw the blanket off of his body and raced out of the room. Just as he reached the hall, however, his legs began to buckle underneath him, forcing him to lean against the wall for support.

"Durbe-niisan?" a tiny voice squeaked.

Durbe quickly jerked his head to his sister's bedroom and watched her come out, rubbing her eyes. "What's the matter, Durbe-niisan?" she asked. "Are you feeling better?"

Durbe didn't answer. That, of course, gave Cathy her answer. Instantly, she was wide awake. "Durbe-niisan!" she meowed. "You need to get back into bed. You're sleepy!"

"No," Durbe said firmly. "Not yet. I have to go outside for a few minutes."

"For what?"

Durbe remained silent for a moment. "To answer a call for help."

* * *

The great white horse was throwing his forelegs into the air, his loud whinnies striking the eardrums of those around him. His chestnut eyes were snapping with fire and his pearl wings were beating down as the steed attempted to get back into the air.

The knights had him captured. Ropes tied to his wings and body were holding him down, and a lasso was around his neck and tied around a tree trunk. The humans around him were frightened, but not as frightened as he was.

"We've got him now!" a knight shouted.

"Be careful!" Mach commanded. "We don't want anybody hurt!"

"How did this thing even come here?" another knight said. "I thought a Pegasus was a thing of legend."

"Apparently not," Mach responded. "Just be careful before **you** become the stuff of legend."

The Pegasus let out another whinny, this one closer to a cry, and beat his hooves against the ground.

"Stop it!"

Everything froze and the knights turned to face Mach's quarters. The twins he'd taken under his wing – so to speak – were standing in the doorway, with Cathy keeping her elder brother on his feet. "Durbe" Mach breathed. "What are you doing? You need some more rest."

"That's what I was about to ask you," Durbe responded. "You're hurting him."

"We're trying to keep him on the ground," a knight said. "That way, he doesn't get away."

"That's not the way to do it," Durbe snapped. "He's crying. Cut it out."

"Durbe?" Mach wondered aloud.

"Please tell them to stop," Durbe said. "Let me try to calm him down. I know I can do it. Please."

"But, Durbe-niisan," Cathy said, "you're tired."

"Not tired enough to just stand here and watch this," Durbe responded.

Mach let out a light sigh. Then he looked to his men and said, "Alright, leave him alone. Let's give Durbe a chance."

"But, Mach-" one of the knights began.

"Leave him be," Mach said, a little more sternly this time. "The lasso alone shall keep him in place."

The knights paused for a moment before stepping away from the animal, the latter giving a huff of annoyance.

Mach then placed a gentle hand on Durbe's shoulder. "Would you like me to help you?" he asked.

Durbe slowly shook his head. "I've got it," he said. "Just let me try."

Then he made his way to the great steed in front of him, his hand slowly held outward. "It's okay," he said softly. "It's okay, Pegasus-san. I'm not gonna hurt you."

The Pegasus didn't seem convinced of the truth in Durbe's words, evident by him snapping at the boy as soon as he had the chance. His jaws closed just inches away from Durbe's middle finger, prompting the boy to fall back onto the ground.

"Durbe-niisan!" Cathy meowed.

"Durbe!" Mach shouted. "Get away from him."

Durbe was breathing heavily as he forced himself onto his knees. "Don't worry, Pegasus-san," he said, raising his head slowly. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The Pegasus then froze. The young boy before him was pale and his eyes were glazed over. Clearly, it was not the best idea for Durbe to get out of bed that day. Yet he still did it.

All for the splendid creature standing before him.

A glance was exchanged between boy and steed before a gust of wind blew past them all. Goosebumps formed on Durbe's arms, forcing him to rub them to stave off the cold.

That was when it appeared before him.

A black card with a pegasus in the center. A great pegasus with a number burned into its shoulder.

A pegasus nearly identical to the one standing before him.

The Pegasus raised an eyebrow (If a horse can actually do that. If not, this horse can.) as Durbe picked it up. "What...is this?" the boy asked.

His small fingers touched the card and it glowed a soft white. His eyes widened as the neigh of yet another creature filled his ears.

"What...was that?" Durbe wondered.

"_It can't be. You?"_

"Me? What?"

Durbe didn't know why, but he suddenly began feeling terribly dizzy.

"Durbe!"

Everything went black after that.

* * *

"..urbe...Durbe...Durbe!"

Durbe opened his deep grey eyes. He was in Mach's arms, the latter having a very startled expression gracing his demeanor. "Mach-san?" he said softly. "What happened?"

"Durbe-niisan passed out after you picked something up," Cathy said. "Mew don't remember?"

"I picked something up?" Durbe asked curiously.

He looked at his hand. True to what they had said, he was still holding a card in his fingers.

Number 44: Sky Pegasus.

"What is this?" Durbe thought to himself.

"_Never, in all my centuries, had I thought that you were connected to that card,_" a voice said.

Durbe's ears pricked up and he turned his head to the side, his neck stiffening up slightly, possibly a result of passing out. "Who was that?"

The Pegasus looked down to him. If he was human, Durbe would have assumed the steed was smiling. "_It is I,_" the voice spoke again. This time, Durbe could tell that the voice was coming from the Pegasus.

"Who are you?"

"_I am the guardian of that card in your hand. Macha._"

"Guardian?"

"_Yes. I have been protecting that card for 12 years now, seeking the child who's soul was connected to it. Now...I have found you at last._"

Durbe blinked and struggled to keep his eyes open. He didn't fully understand why, but his strength was fading minute by minute. "What are you...talking about?"

"_That card is one of seven keys keeping a monster with dark powers locked away. It draws its power from your knightly soul, and as such, you must protect it. Should it be taken, that monster shall be released and everything shall fall."_

Apparently, it was true that animals had sixth senses, for Macha continued with, "_Do not worry, my young soul._" Then he snaked his neck forward and touched Durbe's hair with his nose. "_You shall not be alone in this endeavor. When your strength fails you, I shall lend you my own._"

Durbe's eyes fluttered again and his head lolled on his shoulders. "Thank you, Macha-san," he said, falling asleep in Mach's firm shoulder.

"Durbe-niisan!" Cathy exclaimed.

Mach then picked the child up and looked at his pale face. The very same pale face which was slowly regaining color. "He's alright," he said with a light grin. "He needs only rest."

"Ah!" Cathy exclaimed. "How rrrreleiving."

Macha then gave the sleeping child a horse's equivalent to a smile. "_No. Thank __**you, **__young soul."_

* * *

(Present time.)

"Durbe-niisan? Are you awake?"

Durbe then opened his eyes. He was sitting in the middle of a lush green field, his hands resting behind him to keep his balance. He looked to the side. His young twin sister was looking down at him, her hands on her hips with a playful scowl on her face. "Yes," Durbe said, "I am awake, Cathy-chan. You do not have to worry about me so often."

"Sorry," Cathy said, "but you do space out a lot and don't forget your sickness."

Durbe chuckled as he got onto his feet. Then he slid his sheathed sword through his leather belt. "I am sorry, Cathy-chan," he said with a smile. "But I feel fine today."

"Then why were you spacing out like that?" Cathy asked.

"I was just...reminiscing," Durbe said softly, a light breeze passing by the twins. "About what happened 4 years ago."

"Oh," Cathy breathed. "You mean that time when you first met Macha?"

"Yes," Durbe responded.

He looked through the field and noticed his faithful steed lolling under the shade of an oak tree. "It's times like that that I think he's the reason you're so purrfectly lazy on your days off," Cathy joked.

"Well, we can't help that," Durbe said. "All work and no relaxation makes a warrior a dull man."

"That's true," Cathy said. "But too much relaxation makes a good knight lazy. And don't forget, you have a sister to take care of."

Durbe chuckled. "I haven't forgotten," he said. Then he placed his hand on his sister's head and ruffled her hair. "I just try to ignore it."

"Mo!" Cathy exclaimed. "What's that supposed to mean, Durbe-niisan?"

That brought out another chuckle from Durbe. "Nothing," he said. "Just teasing you."

"Oh, no! You meant something! 'Fess up, you fluffy feline!"

Durbe simply started laughing out loud.

"Stop laughing, Durbe-niisan!"

Though they didn't notice, Macha opened his chestnut eyes and looked over to the twins, as Cathy chased Durbe through the field, itching for an answer to her question. Then he too let out a chuckle, though only Durbe could hear it. "_Those two,_" he said. "_I wish nothing but the best for them. However,_" he then looked up to the sky; "_how much longer...can this blissful peace...be allowed for them?_"

That was a question without an answer.

But at that point, neither Durbe nor Cathy cared. Living every day to the fullest, not caring about what might happen in their future; it had lasted them 16 wonderful years.

And it would clearly last a great many more.

They truly believed that, with every fiber of their being.

With all their hearts.

But for now, they were simply going to have a catnap under the tree beside Macha.

Durbe may have been strong, but even he was no dummy.

_Fin_

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**D.T.B: I hope I paid my previous story honor with this sequel. Thank you, Raven Tsurara, for requesting the sequel. I wouldn't have gotten this done otherwise. Thank you, Ari-chan, for asking when the next one was coming up. Hope I didn't make this too angsty or anything. And lastly, thank you all those who reviewed Siblings Long Forgotten. I'm glad you liked it and I'm sure Macha did too. :D**


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